Aspire receives $900,000 contract to help the homeless in Anderson

December 26 — ANDERSON — The city of Anderson stepped up this week to help the community’s homeless population.

The administration of Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. awarded $900,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to Aspire Indiana Health.

The award was recommended by the city’s homeless committee during the appropriation of American Rescue Plan funds. The $900,000 allocated to help the homeless population was approved in the plan by the Anderson City Council.

The City Council voted last week to give $250,000 to the city’s Homeless Task Force, which was created this year.

Aspire Indiana “is a nonprofit, fully integrated ‘whole health’ provider with broad services including primary care, behavioral health, substance use disorders and programs that address the social determinants of health,” according to the website of the organization.

Broderick said Tuesday that Aspire will provide homeless services to address mental health, substance abuse and housing.

The Anderson Community Development Department is working with the U.S. Agency for Housing and Urban Development to secure $1.4 million to purchase housing for the homeless, the mayor said.

“We wanted an agency that was involved in providing outreach services to the homeless population,” Broderick said, noting federal funds could be available by April.

He noted that housing will also be purchased with available funds to make the necessary repairs.

Broderick said his administration has considered using a school building not currently used by Anderson Community Schools to help the homeless. But the building was not within the city limits.

“The funds had to be spent in the city,” he explained.

Terms of the two-year agreement with Aspire include the city providing a Department of Community Development home at 718 W. 17th Street for transitional housing for a family with children.

The contract calls for $528,138 for outreach services to include the hiring of two workers, a peer review worker, a case manager and a part-time public safety officer.

It also provides $371,864 for housing, including hiring a housing navigator to help find affordable housing for homeless families.

Programs must begin by April 1, 2025 and be completed by April 30, 2027, according to American Rescue Plan rules.

Aspire Indiana operates several substance abuse and medical care centers in Anderson, including Mockingbird Hill Recovery Center and DeHaven Mental Health Clinic.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide or call 765-640-4863.